East Nashville News: priority schools, Food Network faces and more

This week, we wanted to share one last reminder that the East Nashvillian of the Year nominations deadline is nigh — November 10, to be exact. If you have a business/business owner or citizen that you feel displays all the wonderfulness that an East Nashvillian should, please share your thoughts via email with lisa(at)theeastnashvillian(dot)com.

Voting (by HENMA members) on all those submissions will take place November 11 at the lovely Riverwood Mansion — which, as we mentioned recently, will soon be hosting the free/fun Local Fest and its accompanying ticketed six-course pop-up dinner. (We’re also giving away tickets to the latter part, and there’s still time to enter.)

And on to this week's crop of East Nashville news bits:

The rapidly changing discussion about priority schools

Most of us — whether we have kids, are planning to have kids or just care about the direction of our neighborhood schools — have been watching the in-the-works priority schools planning with much interest. And it’s taking much interest, since the situation seems to be rapidly changing, almost day to day.

We’ll have a lot more to say about this topic shortly, but a few particularly timely snippets:

On that topic, community group East Nashville United is hosting a Town Hall meeting at 3:45 p.m. this Sunday, Nov. 9, at the East Park Community Center (600 Woodland) to give neighbors a chance to ask questions, voice concerns and learn more. Dr. Register, School Board member Elissa Kim and others are scheduled to attend, and councilman Anthony Davis will moderate. More info at the East Nashville United site.

Another point of interest for those of us with young folks and East Nashville schools on the mind: Metro Schools is hosting its first East Nashville Elementary School Fair on Monday, Nov. 10, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Warner Enhanced Option School (626 Russell). Parents of pre-schoolers are invited to attend to learn more about our neighborhood schools, meet families with enrolled students and meet and chat with administrators and teachers. More on that at the MNPS Children First website.

If you’re really passionate about this subject, keep an eye out for our next issue, hitting the streets soon.

Happy 8th birthday to Marche Artisan Foods

If Marche Artisan Foods was a person, it’d be well into one of our East Nashville elementary schools by now, learning and recessing and buying milk and stuff. Congrats go out to that well-loved East Side eatery today (Friday) on its 8th birthday. To celebrate, they’re hosting brunch all day and offering up carrot cake bites to their well-wishing diners. Drop by 1000 Main St. to eat/drink/share birthday punches.

'American Idol' alum/East Nashvillian Paul McDonald prepping solo set

You American Idol fans surely know soulful, bearded singer Paul McDonald, the eighth place, Nashville-based finisher on season 10. He skipped town for Westernly climes some time back, we heard, but these days, he’s back and one of our East Nashville neighbors. He's also in the middle of working on his first solo album, funding it via fan help through a Kickstarter campaign.

Last call for Inglewood Neighborhood Association grant applications

If you’re part of a non-profit or other organization doing good in the 37216, heads up: The Inglewood Neighborhood Association put out a last call this week for micro-grant applications. Said micro-grants might help you start a new project to do more good in Inglewood.

To find out more and/or get an application, drop a line to Info@InglewoodRNA.org.

New sketch comedy show at East Room

We’ve been really inspired by the growth of live comedy here in the neighborhood, and some high-fives there are due to the East Room, which has been regularly hosting stand-up and other comedy shows for more than a year.

Add a new repeat (but brief) player to their comedy lineup: hour-long sketch comedy revue Use Your Delusion, going down on November 12, 20 and 24 at 7:30 p.m.

The show features original content from comics Paulina Combow, Sara Kelley, Melissa Lummus, Seth Wood and Ross Woodruff, nodding toward the techniques employed by enduring improv names The Second City and Improv Olympic.

Admission is $3 at the door, and The East Room is located at 2412 Gallatin. More info from First Step Collective.

If you’re a server on the hunt for a job, stop by the space with your resume. For more on the new East Side restaurant, check out AMOT Eatery on Facebook and/or Twitter.

Learn to winter-proof your home with Urban Green Lab and friends

So now’s about the time that many East Nashvillians — particularly those of us with historic homes — start to sweat a bit about the ol’ heating bills. East Nashville-bred Urban Green Lab and friends at Team Green Adventures would like to offer a little help, there.

On Monday, Nov. 10 (a rescheduled date) at 6 p.m., those folks will offer a free Engage Green: Winterize Your Home workshop, held at Hands on Nashville’s place (37 Peabody St., Suite 206). They’ll share tips about winterizing with the aim of helping you live a little greener and shed a little less money this winter (and winters to come).

Michael D on November 07, 2014 said:
What time is the Urban Green Lab workshop? Thanks!

Jai on November 09, 2014 said:
Are you kidding ME! The blurb you wrote was about priority schools and you have freaking picture of Lockeland DC. That is at least inconsistent and editorially lazy at most an example of how little people care about the priority schools and the people within them.

Nicole on November 11, 2014 said:
Jai: The blurb was also about the East Nashville Elementary School Fair.